The bear charged at them.
Its legs moved in weird, sudden twitches. Its bones snapped audibly as its joints bent in directions joints were never meant to bend. The broken jaw swung loose, slapping against its chest with each lurching step.
"Emric!" Holden shouted.
Emric planted his feet and raised his shield. "I've got the front!"
The bear's massive paw swung down in a wild arc.
Crash!
Emric blocked the hit. The kinetic-absorption runes blazed blue. But this wasn't a normal impact. The pressure was inconsistent, as if the force was being driven by an outside power rather than the bear's actual muscles.
The shield held.
But Emric didn't.
He flew backward across the floor, skidding across rubble until he crashed into a boulder. His shield arm hung numb at his side.
"It's too strong!" he gasped.
"Lyra, freeze it!" Holden called.
